Loving a few things ....

Designing with this color combo...

lavender, orange and pink. SO fun.

Just reupholstered these fun little stools. They went from an old-fashioned needlepoint fabric to this rich chartreuse velvet.

 

 

Creating a teal and turquoise fabric scheme for a new client... using the fabrics on the right

 

 

 

 

In other news, a china closet before

A China closet after

 

How did we do this?

 

Painted the piece high-gloss white, added brass hardware and bought a role of wallpaper that was applied to the back of the china closet with 3m command strips. This way the paper can be easily removed and switched out.

We styled it using the clients current plate collection but may be switching some stuff out!!

I'm picking this brass and marble side table up for a client for less than $200 .... Love it. Interested in one? Contact me:)

Will be using this ceramic vase on my Turkey day table with crazy colorful flowers. Totally foregoing the typical fall color scheme:)

 

here




My daughter launched her own blog about sports and health -- btw she is 9 ---and it's hilarious -- read it!!

Check it out here. Leave her a comment it will blow her mind!! 



Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!!

Thanks for reading!!! xoxo





















 

A little break from the norm... a little story to warm your home--- oops I mean your heart!! xoxo

Please bare with me as I tell you this little ditty. And I promise I will get  back to some pretty pics!

 

My husband went to NYC this week for work. As he got off the train and stood in line for a taxi, he was contemplating the very rough week he had and waited patiently for his taxi driver to pull up.

 

As he was about to get into the taxi,  he looked at the driver and something sparked his memory and my husband said "hey were you the driver that got berated last year for helping the handicapped?".

 

To his surprise, the driver jumped out of his cab ran over to my husband and gave him the biggest, longest hug he had received in a long time and the driver kept repeating "hey man you saved my job, you saved my job"

 

 

Last year my husband was in that very same line waiting for a cab when several handicapped people arrived at the same time so they received priority in getting a taxi. My husband said the guy behind him starting shouting and yelling "This isn't fair!, I've been waiting for 20 minutes and so on..." yelling at the transit authority and the driver who happened to be putting the handicapped gentlemen into the car. This irate gentlemen started screaming obscenities and racial slurs and told the driver that this was going to be his last day on the job. He was going to assure it.

 

My husband was the only guy in a long line of strangers who stood up to the guy and told him to stop and calm down and then gave the driver his card and said if you get into any trouble you have your boss call me.

 

The next day my husband received a call from a 212 number and he explained the whole situation as it unfolded and he never heard another word about it until yesterday when he received a hug from a stranger that ironically they both  could have used.

 

My takeaway:

 

Stand up when others are treated unfairly you will be rewarded with love when you least expect it.

 

Not sure if I love my husband more for helping this guy out or the fact that I never heard this story until this morning because my husband does this kind of stuff all the time and doesn't even think twice.

P.S. I forgot to add one of the reasons the driver remembered my husband and that day so clearly because it was the driver's birthday. And boy was it a gift he ran into my husband!!

 Why not pay it forward today? Maybe share this or like it on facebook!

 

Thanks for reading!! xoxo

 

 

 

 

Kitchen before and after and how to make a cool chandelier out of flowers!!

So we have blue and white client kitchen progress...woot woot!!

This kitchen is the second phase of a dining room makeover which I revealed in Calling it Home's One Room Challenge.... you can see that before and after here.

 

Still needs the window seat cushion, accessories, rugs and the range hood but we've come along way baby!

 

blue and white fabric on windows Windsor Smith for Kravet, blue and white bistro chairs from Serena and Lilly

Pillows on bench from C Wonder and Serena and Lilly

Cache pot from Domocile, Wayne PA

Let's recall the before, shall we?

 

 

 

Now one last looksie

 -- LOVE ---this family and I hope they enjoy every second in their new kitch!

 

 

 

 Don't worry I'll share more when it's finally complete!!

Check this beauty out...

 

Cool huh? Especially if you will be hosting Thanksgiving.

Breathtaking if hanging over your table:)

Wanna impress the fam? Here's how to make it here!

 

And you don't have to use brown and orange Thanksgiving colors -- use fun fresh fab colors and shake it up!!

Like what you see? Hover over the image and pin it
and don't forget to like me on facebook!

 

Thanks for reading!! xoxo

A meaningful and creative way in which to decorate your walls!

I have to admit I was blown away by the creativity of the designers that participated in the One Room Challenge.

 

But one my most fave rooms was this one from Maddie G...

Maddie G

 

 

If you've been reading my blog for awhile you know I am big on decorating with "meaningful to you" art, items and objects. THAT IS WHAT MAKES YOUR HOME SPECIAL AND UNIQUE TO YOU!!  

Maddie G

 

I may not have a feature wall like this in my living room or dining room but in my kids playroom, home office, mudroom, laundry room, beach house or finished basement.... you betcha!! I think its absolutely perfect!

 

So many  of my friends post so many AMAZING pictures of their kids, dogs, parents, friends, grandkids or vintage family photos on facebook .... why not make it a feature wall somewhere in your home.... It'll make you smile everytime you walk by!

 

For more information go check out the Maddie G blog here! She can tell you how you can accomplish this amazing feature wall!

Thanks for reading!! xoxo

Design bits and pieces!

Thanks for all the wonderful comments regarding my one room challenge breakfast room. If you have no idea what I'm referring to you can go here.

 

So the other day I walked into a client's house and in her garage I spy this.

 

Ballard Designs

 

 

Now I have seen these in entries and mudrooms but in the garage?Genius!

It's perfect for all of us who don't have a functional mudroom but have a garage that leads into your home --- you can buy this one from Ballard Designs and place in your garage and catch all sporting equipment, heavy coats, muddy shoes and smelly cleat's before they enter your home.

Hot for Hardware?
I am!

 

here

I'm using this version on built-ins with antique-mirrored backed shelves ... can you even stand it?

swoon....


Yep, it's Sweater Weather

Even a sofa or chair needs a cozy warm sweater ...

Click here.... courtesy of the Pink Pagoda throws for under $100.

Last but not least loving these...

CB 2 and under $15!! wow~

Thanks for reading!! xoxo

 

 

One Room Challenge: Week 6.... the finale.

Time's up! Put your pencils down.

Thanks to Linda for hosting this party and inviting me to link up! Thanks to my fantastic clients and Andrew Lam Photography for putting up with all this craziness!!

If you missed previous weeks you can start here.

And here's where we are at the six-week mark.
Not done... but almost there:)

 

 

Hold it. Let's stop and take a look at the Before images before I carry on.

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, now here's the after.

NOW KEEP IN MIND NO NEW FURNITRE WAS PURCHASED!! It can be done people on a tight budget. We don't need to thow everything out and start over now do we???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, it's about 80% there. To quote my client "the last 10% of this remodel is taking longer than the first 90%."  So true. Remember that anytime you take on a design project--it's the little details that take the longest.

 

So, what's missing?

 

This light

 

 

Well, she's arriving fashionably late .... sometime in November

UPDATE ****** LIGHT HUNG

Still missing
Rug 

Artwork
New floor lamps

 Final styling and editing

 

Sources - only 6 weeks to pull this room together?
Right off the floor my friends from ....

 

Benjamin Moore - paint color is Hale Navy

Table, console, all chairs, bench - clients own

Large rectangular mirror - clients own
Lamps- clients own
Cubes - clients own, custom fabric available from SKD

Striped chairs - clients own,  fabric available from SKD
(see not bad for not buying any new furniture from this room)
 

Gold Bowls and boxwood - Willow, Haverford, PA

Wheat Sheaf Sconces - High Street Market

White monogram box - C Wonder

Pillows - navy C Wonder similar here, pink geometric - custom by SKD

Navy and white plates - Crate and Barrel

Blue and white vases - Wisteria

White vases - Home Goods

Gold Bowls - Home Goods

Round mirror - clients own

Sunburst mirror - Vintage Home, Paoli PA

Moroccan shaped mirror - Bed Bath and Beyond

Window Treatments - custom by SKD

Now go and check out these other talented people who participated here!!

oh ---and another BIG shout out to Stephanie Shaw of Stephanie Shaw Designs.... thanks for your collaboration, input and letting me hang around your talented self:)

Don't forget to pin anything you like, follow me on Instagram and share on  Facebook or even sign up for my post via email on the upper RH corner of this page!!

 If your interested in my design services shoot me an email at kraussteph@yahoo.com!

Thanks for reading!! xoxo